Closure



Nov. 19, 1929. ,1. s. REID 7 1,736,173

CLOSURE Filed Oct. 10, 1927 Patented Nov. 19, 1929 7 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE JAMES s. REID,

-m'ron AXLE & spams comm,

OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOB, BY "MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE 01 CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO cnosoan Application filed October 10, 1927. Serial No. 225,852

This invention relates to improvements in closures of the type provided with opposed locking fingers for cooperation with opposed cam portions of the device to be closed.

The general object of the present invention is the'provision of an improved closure of this type which comprises a minimum number of inexpensively formed and readily assembled parts, and in which closure the locking fingers are secured to a part which in turn is positive ly interlocked with the part to which rotary movement is directly imparted in applying and removing the closure, a closure which is exceptionally strong and sturdy; and which interlock is of such character that a vent is provided therethrough for an air chamber of the closure.-

.Further ob ects of the invention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter. I p

In the drawings which represent one suit able embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the closure; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view thereof on the line 3 3, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view (if the closure on the line 47-4, Fig. 2, with'the closure applied to the tubular filler neck of a tank; and Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively a top plan view and a vertical sectional view. of

said fillerneck.

The closure illustrated inthe drawings includes a one-piece body member which constitutes the inner wall of the closure and includes a central cup-shaped portion 1-, 2, and a horizontal flange portion 3 of annular form extending outwardly from the top of the cup-shaped portion. Said cup-shaped portion includes a cylindrical side wall 1 and a circular bottom wall disposed depending dome 4 of circular form which rovides a recess to receive the substantia y circular base portion 5 of the closure locking member. Said locking member is provided with two opposed locking spring fingers 6 extending upwardly and outwardly from said base portion and terminating in directly outwardly extending cam engaging end portions 7 which project through opposed openings 8 in thecylindrlthereby providing 2 having a centrally them a more ornamental appearance.

cal sidewall 1' of the body member. While I V the base portion of said locking member may be secured within the recess of the dome/L by any suitable means, 'it is preferably crimped therein, and in the present embodiment of the invention, two opposed side edge- 'port1ons 9 are crnnped about the corresponding side edge portions ofthe locking member base portion 5, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. Preferably, and as shown, a circular opening 10 is provided at the center of the depending dome 4 for facilitating. the construction oft-his part of the closure, as will be readily understood.

The closure body member or inner ,wall is covered by a suitable top member which constitutes the outer wall of the closure and which comprises a circular dome portion 15 and a depending cylindrical skirt portion '16. i The horizontal flange portion 3 of the body member or inner wall is secured to the cover member or outer wall at the junction of the dome and skirt portions of the latter, preferably by a crimping operation. in order to positively interlock these parts and thereby prevent rolnlivo rotary movement thereof, the horizontal llnngo portion 3 of the body member is provided with an outwardly extending wedge-shaped projection 18 which is adapted to lie within a correspondingly shaped groove orrecess formed bypressing outwardly a portion 19 of the cylindrical skirt portion 16 of the toP member. Preferably, and as shown, said pressed out ridge 19 isa continuation of an upwardly pressed out ridge rically across the dome portion 15 of the top member, I said dome and skirt portions but also giving sin- 20 which extends diametsaid ridge not only strengthening dicated in Fig. 2, a clearance 21 is provided between the projection 18 and the skirt ridge portion 19, said clearance being for venting purposes, as will later appear.

Inthe present embodiment of theinvention, an inverted cup-shaped member 23 is positioned within and at substantially the top of the cup-shaped portion 1,2 of the as clearly indicated in closure body member,

divides the Figs. 3 and 4. Said member 23 space within the closure into two air chambers, a lower air chamber 24 within the cupshaped portion of the closurebody member and an upperair chamber 25 within the dome portion 15 of the top member. One orv more opening s26 are provided in member 23 for establishing communication between the, two air chambers and communication between the upper airchamber and the outside atmosphere is established by the interlock-clearance 21, and, if desired, by additional opening or openings 28 in the top flange portion 30f the body member near the outer edge thereof.

In the present illustration of the invention, the tank 30 or other device to be closed has its filling opening 31 surrounded by an upwardly extending filler neck having atubular body wall32. Said wall maybe an integral part of the tank or separate therefrom and provided with a laterally extending base flange 33 suitably secured thereto.

At its upper end, said tubular body Wallis provided with an inwardly extending, substantially horizontal flange 35 which terminates in a depending flange 36. At two diametrically opposite points, portions of flanges 35 and 36 are cut away to provide two openingsv or passageways 37 through which .the end portions 7 of the closure locking fingcrs are adapted to be passed, as will later appear. The cutting away. of said flanges provides two depending flange portions 36 of substantially semi-circular form and the bottom edges of these flange portions are inclined to provide cams 38 with which the end portions 7 ofthe closure locking fingers are adapted tocooperate in effecting detachable locking connection of the closure with the liller neck. Recessed dwell portions 39 are provided in the rear end ofthese cams in which the end portions 7 of the closure looking fingers are adapted to seat when the closure is in fully seated position on the filler neck. Just beyond said dwell portions, the depending flange portions 36 are provided with depending lugs or projections 40 which provide stops for the closure locking fingers during their travel up the cams 38-andinsure the seating of said fingers in the dwell portions 39.

The closure is applied to the filler neck in the usual manner of bayonet joint connections, the locking spring fingers of the closure being passed down through the passageways 37 of the filler neck. The closureis then turned in a clockwise direction which causes the fingers thereof to ride up the cams38 with yielding effect, rotary movement of the .closure being continued until said fingers strike the stop portions 40. To remove the closure, it is only necessary to turn it in the reverse direction, whereupon the-closure fingers will leave the dwell portions 39 and will ride down the cams 38 to the passageways 37 serves as av baflle for openings The closure can thenbe removed from the filler neck, the closure fingers being passed up through the passageways 37, as before.

Preferably, the closure is provided with a yielding gasket 45 which is adapted to snugly surround. the central cup-shaped portion of the body member and to engage the lower ket engages the top flange 35 of the filler neck- -and effectively seals the openin thereof. .Said gasket is not of suflicient widt to reach the cylindrical skirt portion 16 of the closure top member, so that any vent opening or openings 28in the horizontal flange portion 3 of the body member are not covered thereby. However, if desired, the horizontal flange port-ion 3 of the closure body member and the dome portion 15 of the closure top member may be made 'of less cross extent, so that the depending skirt portion 16 of said topv member will snugly surround the gasket 45 and the closure as a whole will be of substantially the same cross dimension as the filler neck. 'In this event, the'upper air chamber 25' of the closure will be vented to the out,- side atmosphere through the interlock clearanc'e 21, and, if desired, an opening or openings may also be providedv in the dome portion 15 of the closure top member. 7

is-vented to the inside-of the filler neck and hence to the tank 30 by means of the openings 8 through which the closure locking fingers 6 pro ect.- The partition member 32 therefore not only strengthens the closure but also sure is used on the filler neck of an automobile radiator the vent openin for the upper air chamber may be omitte as will be readily understood.

What I claim is:

1. Aclosure, comprising a body member having a central cup-shaped portion and an annular top flange portion, said cup-shaped portion being provided with two opposed openings, a locking member mounted within said cup-shaped ortion and having opposed resilient locking fingers extending outwardly through said openings, a cover member for said body member comprising a dome-shaped top portion and 2. depending cylindrical skirt portion, the top flange portion of said body member being securedto said cover member at the junction ofthe top and skirt portions thereof, and-a brace and baflle member positioned in the cup-shaped portion of the body member at substantially the top thereof and 8. If the 010- dividing the s ace between the cover and body members into two upper and lower air chambers, said brace and bafile member being provided with an opening for establishing communication between said air chambers, said upper air chamber being, vented to the atmosphere by an opening in the top flange portion of the body member and the lower air chamber being vented by the openings in the'cup-shaped portion of thebody member.

7 2. A closure, comprising a sheet metal body member, locking means carried thereby, and a one-piece sheet metal cover member for said body member having a top portion anda depending cylindrical skirt portion, said cover member being provided with an outwardly pressed hollow strengthening ridge extending across the top portion-thereof and down the skirt portion thereof and forming an interior elongated groove, said body'member being provided with a peripheral projection entering the groove in the skirt portion of the cover member, whereby an interlocking connection is provided between said cover and body members which movement thereof.

3. A closure, comprising inner and outer prevents relative rotary wall structures having portions separated to provide an air chamber therebetween, interlocking means between said wall structures for preventing relative rotary movement thereof, and locking'means carried by said .inner wall structure, said inner wall structure being provided with an opening through which said air chamberis vented to the interiorof the device to which the closure is connected and said interlocking means being-provided with a clearance through which said air chamber is vented to the outside atmosphere.

4. .A closure, comprising inner and outer wall structures having portions separated to movement thereof, and locking means carried by s'aid inner wall structure, said inner wall 1 structure being provided with an opening through which said air chamber is vented to the interior of the device to which the closure is connected and said interlocking projection being so constructed and being so arranged in the recessreceiving it that a clearance is provided through which said air chamber is vented to'the outside atmosphere,

6. A closure, comprising inner and outer wall structures having portions separated to. provide an air chamber therebetween, said outer wall structure having a topportion and a depending substantially cylindrical skirt portion, said inner wall structure being pro-f vided with a peripheral projectionnand the skirt portion of said outer wall structure be-..

ing provided with a recess to receive said projection, whereby an interlocking connection is provided between said wall structures which prevents relative rotary movement thereof, and locking means carried by said inner wall structure, said inner wall structure being provided with an opening through which said. air chamber is vented to the interior of the device to which the closure is connected and said interlocking projection being" nature.

. JAMES S. REID.

provide an air chambeftherebetween,one of said-wall structures having a projection and the other wall structure havin a recess to:

receive said projection, where y an inter-w locking connection is provided betwee'n s'aid' wall structures which prevents relative rotary movement thereof, and locking means carried by 831d inner wall structure, sald innor wall structure being provided with an opening through which said air chamber is vented torthe interior o'fthe device towhich' .the closure is connected, and said interlocking projection being so constructed .and being so arranged in the recess receiving it that a clearance is provided through which said air chamher is vented to the outside atmosphere.

" 5; A closure, comprising inner and outer wall structures havin portions separated to provide an air cham er therebetween, said inner wall structure having a projection'and said outer wall structure having a recess to receive said projection, whereby an interlocking connection is provided between'said wall structures which prevents v relative rotary 

